1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technical field of a combination measuring device and a combination calculation method for measuring a plurality of objects, by which a combination of articles having a predetermined weight or a combination of articles of predetermined numbers can be obtained.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a combination measuring device is employed for weighing out an intended weight of objects. For this, the objects accommodated respectively in a plurality of hoppers are weighed, and combination calculation is performed. Then, the objects are selected for an optimum combination, and are discharged from containers. The discharged objects are collected so that the device can weigh out the intended weight of objects. However, the above combination measuring device is generally configured to transfer objects by free fall. Accordingly, the objects become damaged due to collision between the object and the device, or between objects. Further, since the combination measuring device includes the plurality of hoppers, feeders and other complicated members, it is difficult to clean the combination measuring device. Particularly, if viscous objects are handled, the cleaning for removing the viscous objects from the device becomes more troublesome.
For overcoming the above problem, patent references 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H8-29242) and patent reference 2 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2 2002-156276) disclose devices, which use transportable containers for transporting objects together with the containers.
A combination measuring device disclosed in the patent reference 1 includes a plurality of parallel conveyors arranged on a horizontal plane. These conveyors include a conveyor for supplying to the device the containers that have objects accommodated therein, a conveyor for stocking the containers, a conveyor for collecting the containers, a conveyor for discharging the containers and others. The supplied containers are successively stocked on the stock conveyor after being weighed. Then, combination calculation is effected for the objects accommodated in the containers thus stocked. The containers accommodating the objects, which are selected for combination, are pushed out onto the collecting conveyors by a pusher plate. At the collecting conveyor, the selected containers are collected in one position, and then are laid down toward a discharging end via the discharging conveyor so that the objects are collected and discharged.
The combination measuring device of the patent reference 2 has a plurality of transporting trays, and also includes a circulation path for vertically transporting the transporting trays. The measured objects are supplied to the transporting trays and transported along the circulation path. Then, based on a result of the measurement, combination calculation is performed for the objects that are accommodated in the plurality of transporting trays in the circulation path, and the objects selected for the combination are discharged via a plurality of pool hoppers, which are arranged under the circulation path, to an outlet conveyor arranged immediately under the pool hoppers.